“Matilda” Musical Fever Goes Trans-Atlantic

I loved Roald Dahl as a kid. In James and the Giant Peach or The Witches, his wit and cruelty always seemed a more accurate reflection of childhood than some bright-eyed fantasy.

So I’ve been watching reports from London about the critically-acclaimed musical version of Matilda, Dahl’s story of a rebellious magical girl, with barely contained excitement. Had they softened the sharp edges or did it remain a spiky, unruly creature? When it arrives on Broadway next spring, will it be scrubbed of its essential “British-ness”? Unless I give in and spring for a trip across the pond (anyone care to sponsor me? anyone…), it will be a long wait until March to find out.

However, during the recent Olympic coverage, NBC’s Today Show paid a visit to the show and did a nice intro to the world of Matilda. From what I can tell, it’s got a Spring Awakening for the tween set vibe–which is not altogether off the mark. Let’s watch the video…

Need more than a packaged taste, here are the four Olivier-winners jointly singing their favorite number “Naughty” and the ensemble doing their best Pink Floyd schoolroom demolition on “Revolting Children”.